Why Mahler?: How One Man and Ten Symphonies Changed Our World

This is just a wonderful read. Lebrecht has great depth of understanding of the Mahler era, the whole Vienna weltanschauung of the late 19th and early 20th Centuries. He knows Mahler's life and interactions with key intellectual figures of the time and he places the music within that context. Lebrecht also writes very well so the text reads quickly and with pleasure. I would also recommend reading "Genius and Anxiety" by the same author as this text further elaborates on that larger context of the Mahler period.

I don't understand the negative, often pernicious reviews of this book. They want the book to be something it is not: A dense, academic study. Instead, it is a wonderful, readable, and well-researched study of how one man -- Lebrecht -- came to find Mahler, and to find in his work endless joys, as well as questions of how and WHY MAHLER continues to enthrall first-time, as well as life-long lovers of his work! Lebrecht's tone is congenial, and absolutely critical, without being prejudiced by naval-gazing, sycophantic, philosophy. He presents for the first-timer coming to Mahler, a wide assessment of the composer's extraordinary musical gift, and how his music directly made -- and continues to make an impact. To ask it to be anything else, is superfluous wishing. There are many other fine academic studies in which you can find deeper arguments, ideas, and critical assessment. But, if you want a refreshing, intelligent, and completely honest introduction to Mahler and his ten symphonies, Lebrecht offers it. He has received critical acclaim for this volume, and has authored other noted works in the musical canon. He shows us Mahler not just as a musician and visionary, but as a man -- who had deep grief in his life, as well as problematic physical challenges. As someone who has loved and constantly still feels his music so deeply (how can you not, as a human being, be the same after hearing his 'Resurrection Symphony No. 2'!? Everything is subjective, certainly. But, if you have questions about the 'tone' or content of this book, just take a 'Look Inside' and read from Lebrecht's Introduction. He states at the end: "[Mahler] is . . . a composer for today, a maker of music that interacts with what musicians and listeners are feeling in a fast-changing, often threatening world In a quest that has taken us half my life, Mahler has been a warm and sympathetic companion. He never preaches or prescribes, not gloats nor grumbles, but through a long life span he talks to us as a cognate, sensate, laughing, suffering fellow member of the human species, always trying to work out the meaning of it all. Mahler lives. Here and now. This book is my attempt to understand how and why."

So, I bought the book needing a Mahler fix. I was about to travel into the desert for some much needed R & R and needed something to read. It could be digested in a few hours and probably someone less familiar with the subject would think, Hmmm, how interesting.My problem is that I had finished Henry de La Grange's massive tome on Gustav Mahler just a few months ago. So this little dashing had the feel of someone who was playing fast and loose, although it is heavily footnoted, to provide, I suppose, scholarly gravitas.What bothered me most was his contention that Mahler speaks to every listener differently; that one's life affects how a particular work of art is received. True enough. But then why spend so much time giving us the real meaning of the master's works?Why does he (accurately) accuse Alma of "cleaning up" the record, misstating, omitting - basically serving up a lot of self-aggrandizing claptrap, and then quoting her heavily throughout the book as being a credible source?This is repeated when he cites Mahler saying that conductors should be free to change, interpret, alter his own works if they feel so compelled. (After all, didn't he change Beethoven's scores?) Then, at the end, Mr. Lebrecht spends pages telling us which recorded version of each symphony is the "authorized by Lebrecht" version, hammering such noted stick men as Bernstein, Tilson-Thomas and Boulez, while extolling the personal stories of conductors like Klaus Tennstedt, who obviously winds up his favorite. Even Bruno Walter, Mahler's near-lifelong friend and protege, comes off as less than top rated! Von Karajan is an "unrepentant Nazi." Oy!Along the way, Lebrecht even takes some cheap shots at La Grange, who spent 21 years of his life documenting Mahler's daily goings and comings.All in all, I found the book pretty gossipy and not much more than personal opinion, which is fine, but, well, "Don't quote me!"

Uma abordagem reflexiva sobre a importância da obra de Gustav Mahler e a influência tardia sobre a música erudita. Recomendo aos que querem ter um conhecimento mais amplo sobre o homem e músico Mahler, sem ter que encarar extensos estudos biográficos. Escrito por alguém apaixonado pelo tema. Como eu também !

Mahler's symphonies inspire everything from condemnation to adoration. This book attempts to explore why that should be - much more so than any other late 19th/early 20th century symphonist.